The present disclosure relates to fixing devices and image forming apparatuses.
An image forming apparatus forms a toner image on paper. The image forming apparatus then applies heat and pressure to the paper to fix the toner image to the paper. As a result, an image is formed on the paper. Such an image forming apparatus is desired to form images (for example, a photographic image) having improved glossiness to keep up with improvement in image quality.
A first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus are known as technology to improve glossiness of images.
The first image forming apparatus includes a fixing section and a cooling roller. The fixing section includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. In the fixing section, paper on which a toner image has been formed passes through a fixing nip between the heating roller and the pressure roller. As a result, the toner image is fixed to the paper. The cooling roller squashes and smoothes out irregularities in a surface of the fixed toner image while cooling the same. As a result, the image is improved in glossiness.
The second image forming apparatus includes a first fixing section and a second fixing section. The first fixing section includes a first heating roller and a first pressure roller. The second fixing section includes a second heating roller and a second pressure roller. In the first fixing section, paper on which a toner image has been formed passes through a first fixing nip between the first heating roller and the first pressure roller. As a result, the toner image is fixed to the paper. In the second fixing section, the paper to which the toner image has been fixed passes through a second fixing nip between the second heating roller and the second pressure roller. As a result, the temperature of the toner image is adjusted to an optimum temperature. Thus, the toner image is re-fixed to the paper. As a result, the image is improved in glossiness.